Then turning
to the Duchess of York, who stood beside her, and who, she felt sure,
would catch the hint and help her out, she asked, "Were we not playing
at cards in your Grace's parlor Sunday afternoon?"
"Sunday afternoon?" repeated the duchess, quite willing to thwart
Castlemain's design. "Yes, my dear, Sunday afternoon. Yes, we began just
after dinner, and it was almost dark when we stopped. Don't you remember
I said, after we had lighted the candles, that I wished my husband could
afford to give me wax in place of tallow?"
We all laughed except the king, who became very much interested, and of
course, excepting Castlemain, who was rapidly losing her head in anger.
After the duchess had spoken, the king asked, with as careless an air as
he could assume:--
"At what hour, sister, did Mistress Jennings leave your parlor?"
"I think it was about four o'clock," replied her Grace. "She asked
permission to spend the night with her father, and Baron Clyde called
about four o'clock to escort her. Was not that the hour, baron?"
"Yes, your Grace," I answered, bowing. "I accompanied my cousin to
her father's house, returned later to fetch her back to the palace,
but she did not care to face the storm, so I remained till ten o'clock,
returned to Whitehall, and slept till morning. Here is another witness,"
I continued, laughing, as I turned to John Churchill, who was standing
near the king.
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